Two individuals accused of murdering a middle-aged man earlier this year under suspicion of being a robber have been formally charged with murder at the Eldoret High Court.
Robert Kiplagat, a farmer, and Alex Kiptoo, a student at the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) Nairobi campus, appeared before Judge Robert Wananda and pleaded not guilty to the charge. The court was informed that the incident occurred on April 6, 2024, at HZ area in Keiyo South, Elgeyo Marakwet County, where Martin Makori was allegedly killed.
During the hearing, the prosecution stated that a mental assessment had been conducted on the accused, confirming their fitness to stand trial. Kiptoo’s lawyer, Joseph Kiplagat, requested reasonable bail for his client, highlighting Kiptoo’s status as a medical student eager to resume his studies.
Robert Kiplagat, the other accused, appealed to the judge for bail on compassionate grounds, citing his responsibility to support two children who were about to join university after completing their secondary education.
Both accused have been held at Eldoret GK Prison since their arrest in April. Justice Wananda instructed the prosecution to provide copies of witness statements to the defense lawyers and to prepare a pre-bail report within two weeks. The court scheduled the next mention of the case for July 29, 2024.
